Typhoon ‘Dolphin’ advancing towards Japan at 200kmph speed:2.6 lakh people ordered to evacuate homes; Toyota halts work at 9 factories

Typhoon Dolphin is moving towards Japan at speeds of up to 200 km per hour. Due to this, 2.6 lakh people have been ordered to evacuate their homes, while more than 500 flights have been cancelled. Toyota has also suspended operations at nine of its factories due to the situation. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Dolphin is a Category-1 storm. Its sustained wind speed is 144 km per hour, and gusts are reaching speeds of up to 198 km per hour. This storm is moving towards the islands located between Kyushu and Okinawa. Okinawa Island Most Affected Japan’s Okinawa Island has been severely affected by the typhoon. Several Hong Kong tourists who had gone there for vacation are stranded due to flight cancellations. They are now facing the threat of a shortage of essential supplies, power outages, and disrupted water supply. In pictures shared on Hong Kong-related travel social media accounts, supermarket bread shelves appear empty. Meanwhile, heavy rain and strong winds are prevailing in many areas. Storm may reach China on Sunday Typhoon Dolphin is rapidly moving towards China’s eastern coast. According to China’s meteorological department, by Friday this typhoon was approximately 820 kilometers away from the coast. It is expected to make landfall somewhere between Zhejiang and northern Fujian between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. The meteorological department has maintained a Yellow Alert, which is the third most severe level in the four-tier warning system. Warnings of strong winds and heavy rainfall have been issued for Zhejiang, Fujian, and Taiwan. According to meteorological scientist Shen Yuyang, by Friday morning the diameter of this typhoon had become approximately 13 times larger than Zhejiang province. The size of Zhejiang is equivalent to India’s Bihar state. The meteorological department said that the typhoon’s diameter is very large, so not only coastal but also inland residents need to remain alert. Rescue operations in China with the help of AI and drones Currently, it is not clear which direction it will take after hitting China. After the typhoon entered the 48-hour alert zone, China intensified its preparations. According to government TV CCTV, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based system that can predict the direction, strength, and where the typhoon will hit for the next 240 hours (10 days). Along with this, drones and other modern technologies are also being used. ​